VIDALIA — The Vidalia Police Department will be cracking down on the illegal selling of alcohol and tobacco to minors after receiving a $4,000 grant Tuesday during the Vidalia Board of Aldermen meeting.

The grant will compensate Vidalia police officers conducting operations to identify people selling alcohol to minors.

Senior Special Agent Jeff McDonald of the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control presented the award to the city and police department.

McDonald said the grant is normally awarded to larger cities like New Orleans and Baton Rouge, but that the ATC wants to help out smaller local departments in Louisiana.

Chief Arthur Lewis was in attendance to accept the grant and said he welcomes the assistant of the ATC in Vidalia.

“It’s a tremendous honor to receive this,” Lewis said. “We will definitely put it to good use.”

Investigator Brandon Gremillion said the ATC will send a packet in the next month with more information on specific programs the Vidalia Police Department can implement as part of the grant.

In other news from the Vidalia board of aldermen meeting:

– The board chose to table a decision of an occupational license for JB’s Place on 901 Carter St.

The decision came after several aldermen questioned whether the business was going to be a bar.

Mayor Hyram Copeland and District 3 Alderman Jon Betts said they felt the location was too close to the Church of Christ for it to be a bar.

A decision will be made at the board’s next meeting in February.

– The board accepted two bids for a derrick digging truck and turned them over to the mayor for approval at the next meeting.

-Copeland requested to check the city ordinance regarding cars parking on city streets.

He said he received multiple complaints about the space available on streets when cars are parked on the streets.

The ordinance will be reviewed and discussed at the next meeting.